Troublesome, but worth it
by Prunella7
Summary: A one-shot shikaxtem. Set right after Pein's attack on Konoha. After Shikamaru is injured, will they finally confess their love for each other? Because this is me, of course they do! Pretty much just fluff. R&R please! Rated T 'cause I'm paronoid.


Of course, reviews are appreciated, and if you think I own Naruto, you need to make an appointment with a psychologist. Just sayin'

Regular text is Temari, **bold is Shikamaru, **regular underlined is both.

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They had received a distress call from Konoha, and as she and the other ninja raced to the aid of their ally, all she could think was, '_Please let Shika be safe.' _

**As he lay underneath the rubble, bricks trapping his probably broken legs, all he could think was 'Please dear God, let me see Temari again.' **

As the backup team reached the crest of the last hill, it was all Temari could do not to break down right there. The entire town of Konoha was…gone. Everything was flattened. The only landmark left of one of the strongest ninja nations ever were the famous heads of all of the hokages, carved into the rock cliff.

"_Oh God, oh God, is Shika alright? Is he hurt?" _Temari refused to entertain the thought that he might even be…Though the possibility was still there, like a splinter in the back of her mind. '_Please God; just let me find him quickly.'_

**Finally someone found him. They helped move the rubble away from his legs, then loaded him up onto a stretcher. He was deposited at the nearest recently established medic tent. Since his injuries weren't fatal, he would have to wait until the other, more serious wounds had been taken care of. **

She was put to work recovering people-dead and alive-and bringing them back to the nearest medical tent. Every time she found a new person, she was partly relieved, partly frustrated that it hadn't been Shikamaru.

Finally, _finally,_ she saw him. He was lying on a stretcher, one of many, and it was obvious that his legs were broken; they were lying at unnatural angles. She smiled when she saw that his arms were behind his head, face turned up to gaze at the clouds. If he was alright enough to cloud gaze, she knew he'd be just fine.

"**Shika!" There was only one person who called him that. Pushing himself up on his elbows, he searched the crowd quickly, and found her almost immediately. God she looked beautiful. Her black and red dress, her fan strapped to her back, and her beautiful blond hair up off her face in four ponytails. Beautiful. **

"Temari!" God, he was gorgeous. Even battered and bruised, he still made her heart speed up. His long black hair was pulled up into a ponytail on the top of his head, and as his dark brown eyes met hers, she melted. He was in his customary green vest and cargo pants, his head band instead wrapped around his arm. It was all she could do not to drop the injured person she was escorting back to the medic camp.

But as soon as she had given the man to a medical ninja, she raced over to him, and dropped down onto her knees beside him. "Shika, are you alright?"

"I'm fine Temari, but what are you doing here?" She could see his eyes racking over her body, checking for any injuries, and she blushed. Thankfully, he didn't seem to notice.

"We got a distress call. But we never expected…" she trailed off as she gestured to the flattened city around them. "What happened?"

"Pein." For the next hour, Temari sat with Shikamaru as he told her all about the attack on Konoha, and how Naruto had finally managed to defeat the leader of Akatsuki. Finally, Shikamaru ended his account, just as a medical ninja finally made its way to him. Temari stayed and held his hand as the Med. Nin. set his legs, and gave him some painkiller. Neither one of them let go of the other, even after the Med. Nin. was done.

"**I'm glad you're here Temari," Shikamaru said, smiling softly at her. She was so cute when she blushed. **

"**I'm glad you're okay," she said, blushing even harder. She wouldn't meet his eyes as she confessed, "I-I was really worried about you when I heard your village was under attack." Gently, he put his hand under her chin, and tilted her face to look at him again. **

"**I was trapped under some rubble; that's what broke my legs. The only thing I could think was 'Please let me see Temari again.'" For a long time now, he'd wanted to tell her what she meant to him. But she was a stubborn one. Every time he'd tried hinting at it, she'd change the subject, or simply hit him over the head with her fan. Shikamaru was no idiot. He knew what she meant, even without her saying it; if he wanted her, he'd have to **_**say**_** it, not hint it. If this didn't work, he didn't know what would. **

"I love you Temari." She looked into his eyes, shocked that he had finally said it. For almost two years now, he'd been hinting at it, and Temari hated that. She'd hinted right back that she wouldn't take anything but a straight out confession. And now she had it.

Without thinking, she leaned down and did something she'd wanted to do for a long time now.

**He responded to her kiss instinctively, ignoring the fact that he couldn't sit up. Instead, he pulled her down almost on top of him, his hand pressing against the small of her back. '**_**Troublesome women, making me wait this long.' **_

**Finally, out of breath and panting, they broke apart. But instead of sitting up again, she propped herself up on her elbows, one on either side of his face, and pressed her forehead against his.**

"I love you too, Shika," she said, looking him straight in the eye. Now it was his turn to look shocked. She laughed, and that got him to smile. But his smile turned savage, and in the next second, his lips were on hers again. '_Troublesome man,' _she thought. '_Wait, did I really just think that? Shika must be rubbing off on me more than I thought…' _But any other coherent thought fled as Shikamaru deepened the kiss, at the same time increasing the pressure of his hold on the small of her back.

'_Troublesome, but worth it.'_


End file.
